December 1997 Volume 1 Number 4 Sherlock hcLKzs

r merits should be publicly recognizcu ' (STUD)

Bill Rabe material comes to Sherlock Holmes Collections .

ohn Rabe described his late father works. Bill's own Who's Who and What's BiIl as a man who had fun in life, What published in 1961 is included in the and managed to make a living by donated books, as is a master corrected doing it. That in ~tself is quite an copy Many news clippings and photos epithet. With the donation of Bill such as the one in this article are also Bill Rabe Material JRabe's Sherlockian Collection to the included. University of Minnesota, the family has ensured that others will have as much Journals of various societies, especially the enjoyment studylng his materials as he Old Soldiers of Baker Street (SOBS) and had collecting it. the Amateur Mendicant Society, take a Ada and the Photographer special place among the materials. Photos John Rabe recently made two trips to the and menus of the Amateur Mendicant Wilson Library at the University to per- Society dinners were special souvenirs for sonally deliver the materials that his father Rabe. Contained in one box were numer- About Bill Rabe amassed over the years. At this time, his ous small bottles of Scotch, all marked collection is awaiting cataloging and inte- with the Old SOB's breakfast dates. Of gration into the herl lock ~olmes 3 Rabe mcltprial continued on page 2 f Collections. It is, as the Master stated, "a treasure trove The Old Globe Theatre Indeed " (BLUE) and KPBS-FM Rabe's Collection 4 contalns journals, movle matenals, I playbills, ch~ldren's

Editorial Musings papers, and papers

covenng his exten- """+ 4 sive other Interests Over 400 books have been donated, Norwegian Explorers which include pas- tlches and foreign 5 language editions, as wefi aswritings by Vincent Starrett and From our President Conan Doyle's non- 6 Sherlocluan ~rnfhq Rabe Collection Friends of the Sherlock Hohes Collections P 1 if he had any ideas. He wrote, "what I Rabe material continuedfrom page 1 know is based on letters I saw when I was at Minnesota in the summer of interest are the party favors and other 1995. I reported on the matter in my memorabilia from the BSI dinners in Waterloo Sherlocluan Letter #35, with a the 1980's and 1990's. follow-up in #36 .. . But you won't learn Radio scripts for ''Purple Shadow" and much from them really, I fear, and in the engineers script for the Amateur YEARS AGO particular you won't find out who Ada Mendicant Meeting that was telecast was. .. . The only Ada I can turn up is live on WTVS Detroit on January 2, Ada and the Napoleon Ada Waller, wife of Bryan Charles 1958 are intact, with notes by Rabe. Waller. Doyle's mother was living at The playbill for the musical "Baker of Photography Masongill with Waller well before he Street" and the script for "Sherlock married Ada in 1896 - I don't know One of the mysteries presented in the Holmes", written by William Gillette whether she could plausibly have been and presented by the Wayne last issue of this newsletter was the an "old friend" of ACD by 1897." identity of Ada, the woman to whom University Theatre, mark other theatri- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle inscribed a Chris suggested contacting another cal occasions. photograph of himself. The inscription Chris, Christopher Roden who put The Rabe family has kept some of Bill's reads: "To Ada, from her old friend forth what seems to be the best lead: personal correspondence. Donated Arthur Conan Doyle, Jan. 18, '97." The "There is a letter in the Berg collection were the originals of letters by Art photograph was taken in New York (one of the many written to the Hoare Buchwald and Julian Wolf concerning when Doyle was on his 1894 tour. A family). Tlus particular one is undated, the Amateur Mendicant Society The peripheral conundrum was the identity but I'd guess 1889, as ACD talks about 1960 news clippings pertaining to the of the photographer whose printed sig- the second printing of Micah Clarke death of Julian Wolf reside in the same I nature ("Savony" or "Saxony", we being almost out of print. box, along with the 1981 Detroit thought) seemed difficult to decode. Public Library's selected Sherlock The relevant part, however, is the fol- I Not so for Catherine Cooke of the lowing sentence: "I am so grieved to Holmes Booklist. "Once More Watson, Marylebone Library in London. Writes hear about poor Ada Pashby. What a Into the Breach by W T. Rabe, pub- Ms. Cooke, "it occurs to me to wonder villain the man must be! Let me know lished in 1949 by the University of whether the photographer might not if friends can help in any way" Detroit is a special momento. be ... Sarony, best-known over here at Donated materials also include an least for his portrait photographs of That's it. There's nothing more to go on, but it would seem that there was extensive run of the Danish "Sherlock Oscar Wilde in aesthetic garb, taken Holmes Klubben I Danmark" journals during his trip to America lecturing?" an Ada in Birmingham whom ACD knew, and who might well be the per- from the 1970's, 1960's journals of the Further research into Sarony brought son to whom the photograph in the Illustrious Clients, the Serpentine to light Napoleon Sarony who was collection was dedicated. Muse and programs from the Silver born March 9, 1821 and practiced Blaze of 1962. The press kits of painting, lithography and photography She's certainly my best candidate yet - "Young Sherlock Holmes" and "The from the 1840's until his death in New though who she was, what she did, Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" are York on November 8, 1896. He was and how well ACD knew her, I have some of the film memorabilia. absolutely no idea!" known for his photographs of celebri- Bill's son Karl, as a young child, wrote ties of the late 19th century including Many thanks to these cultural detec- a paper about Sherlock Holmes. Wilde and Sarah Bernhardt. Apropos tives for their help. If and when we Scoring 30 out of 30, he inscribed it to of the his Doyle connection, Sarony discover more about Ms. Ada Pashby, his father and gave it to him. The was popularly known as "the or evidence to discount her as Doyle's inscribed materials carry on to other Napoleon of Photographers." Ada, you, our readers, will be among interests as well. Two autographed And Ada? Since the photograph of the first to know. w photos of Laurel and Hardy, one to Doyle is that used on the cover of each of Rabe's daughters, are indicative Christopher Redmond's book Welcome of his other loves. The Dancing to America, Mr Holmes, we asked Chris Cuckoos, Michigan Tent of the International Sons of the Desert, with his 1978 name badge from their con- vention, were part of the Laurel and Hardy items.

2 P Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections Bill Rabe was an Army Lieutenant and Chief Medical Officer (ret.) of the Old About Bill Rabe, Soldiers of Baker Street, the military by Peter E. Blau scion of the Baker Street Irregulars, when his fiancee Anne Rady traveled ne of the very nice things longest front porch (sauntering, he to Berlin from Detroit in 1952 to about the world of insisted, must be distinguished from marry him. As part of their Swiss hon- Sherlockians is that one gets meandering, lollygaging, moseying, eymoon, Bill and Anne carried a 0to meet so many unusual and sashaying). plaque to Meiringen to affix to the people. And Bill Rabe was one of the wall of the Rossli Hotel. The Hotel best of those unusual people: talented In the world of Sherlockians his pro- stands on the site of the Englisherhof and interesting and quite impossible to jects were just as varied. He visited where Holmes ate lunch on a day in define. Meiringen, and was instrumental in May in 1891. The inscription reads: installing the first plaque at the Well, one might attempt a definition, Reichenbach Falls, and arranged for To this place in May, 1891 came Dr. noting the many things he was inter- his friend Art Buchwald to write about John Watson and Mr. Sherlock ested in, and the things he had fun the event in the International Herald Holmes, and in this vicinity did doing. Starting societies, for example, Tribune. Holmes best the infamous Prof. one of them being the Friends of Lizzie Moriarty in mortal combat; though Borden, of whose members only one And he founded the Old Soldiers of Holmes himself was thought to things was expected: to honor her Baker Street, which he delighted in have perished in the struggle over birthday every year by going out into calling the "Old SOBS". He also started Reichenbach Falls he escaped and the woods with a hatchet and chop- The Martha Hudson Breakfast at the returned to London in the Spring of ping down a tree. Hotel Algonquin, in the long-ago days 1894. He has since retired to Sussex when a few out-of-town visitors had and Bee Keeping. Another was The Friends of the Raisin, nothing much to do on the morning for those who felt that it was unfair before the Baker Street Irregular' annu- A copy of the "Routine and Court- that bananas were the only fruit to al dinner. Martial Orders", General Provisions, have little stickers (calling attention to was part of a student packet issued at Chiquita Banana): Bill proposed that He compiled and published his land- Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. In very small stickers be created and mark Sherlocluan Who's Who and May 1960, Colonel Bill Rabe received applied to raisins. What's What in 1961, and then pub- the inscribed booklet, stating "Colonel lished a revised second edition in 1962 Bill Rabe, with kindest canonical He founded and publicized Silent (and no one has had the energy and regards. My time here at the A. G. Record Week, by way of encouraging enterprise to follow in his footsteps). School has not been entirely wasted. jukebox owners to allow people to buy And his work in radio helped when he Irregularly, Ted Schultz, Capt. AGC." a few minutes of silence. And he recorded the goings-on at the annual quickly realized that something else dinners of the Baker Street Irregulars, In the early 1950's when Rabe was was needed, and started a company and produced his "Voices from Baker Public Relations Director for the called Hush Records, to issue record- Street." University of Detroit, he founded a ings such as a single devoted to "The syndicated talk show called Ask the Silent Majority" (in those days when He decided to find the man who actu- Professor still airing weekly on 26 sta- that phrase was a byword) and a long- ally wrote the song "We Never tions nationwide. As moderator, Rabe playlng original cast album of "An Mention Aunt Clara" and came to was described as having a flare for the Evening with Marcel Marceau." Washington to interview him, and bizarre. published a delightful booklet about He wrote annual book reviews of the Bud Willis (who eventually was star- When Rabe was at Lake Superior State Detroit telephone book for local news- tled to learn that Carl Sandburg University (LSSU) he and another fac- papers (a different newspaper each refused to believe the song was not an ulty member, Peter Thomas created year). As head of public relations for old American folk song, and had to The Woods-Runner, "meeting place of Lake Superior State College in Sault threaten a lawsuit to get Sandburg to the Unicorn Hunters" which existed Ste. Marie, he welcomed spring each back down). between 1970 and 1986. Sons of the year by setting fire to a snowman, and Desert founder, Jack McCabe who was he created an International Open And of course Bill was a delightful also at LSSU, aided their efforts. While Stone-Skipping Tournament on the story-teller, but all too often told his The Woods-Runner was principally a Fourth of July on Mackinac Island. stories to small groups of appreciative literary magazine, there was always a And he helped publicize the island's listeners, and all too seldom in print. certain tone of wit and whimsy, Grand Hotel with World Sauntering How grand it would be to read his autobiography w Rabe material continued on page 5 Day, celebrated annually on the world's

Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections P 3 The Old Globe Theatre, KPBS-FM of Musings San Diego, and "The Mask of Moriarty" ur 4th issue already. Throughout our first year we by Julie McKuras have received many positive 0comments as well as sugges- hat do these three things that with the tions for content. Response to our have in common? The Old play was its' "departure from the sacred has been very gratifymg. Globe Theatre of San writings of Conan Doyle." Whitehead, Perhaps most importantly many of our Diego, with it's production with "lus basso profundo a precise surgi- readers have made donations of either wof "The Mask of Moriarty", and KPBS cal instrument", and Lacy were ''delight- money or material. The Friends of the have recently donated materials to the ful gentlemen to interview" The program sherlock ~~l~~~ ~~ll~~~i~~~and the Sherlock Holmes Collections at the had numerous theater attendees call in to universityof M~~~~~~~~are grateful, University of Minnesota. praise the play and their performances. All of your comments, suggestions and "These Days" Director Jill Fritz also wrote donations are appreciated, In preparation for the production and that several days previous to their pro- the playbill, The Old Globe Theatre duction with Lacy and Whtehead, In this issue we follow up with our contacted public radio station KPBS- English actor ~~h~ of you 100 Years Ago topic from Issue 3: the FM of Sari Diego. On Dee. 9, 1996, the Being Served?" a popular British series, identity of Ada and the photographer KPBSProgram "These with had been in the studio with an freshly who took the 1894 picture of Doyle. Dan Erwine and guests Willis Frick injured left arm, a result of an accident at We also received a letter from Saul and Bruce Southworth featured a pro- a podium. During miteheads tour of Cohen, a longtime friend of John gram discussing Sherlock Holmes. The the KPBS-FMfacilities, a soundproof Bennett Shaw and U.S. attorney for Program proved to be Popu- door swung closed, htting hm on the the late Dame Jean Conan Doyle, who lar. As a Southworth wrote arm. Jill wrote that in her &cussion with notes that Frances Crane (whose New Master Detective" for the playbill. Dan Erwine, they agreed that "we had just Yorker article on the auction of the about filled our yearly quota of whacking Czar's books in 1933 never appeared) Opening on September 20, 1997, "The and injuring English actors." KPBS-FM was the author of many mysteries, sev- ., . . Mask of Moriarty" by Hugh Leonard, eral of which were set in New Mexico. as Sherlock donated issues of their "On Air" maga- " !, Paxton , Holmes, and Tom Lacy as Dr. John zine and copies of both the December 1996 and October 1997 broadcasts. Our main feature in this issue is the Watson. Whitehead, in an article fea- announcement of new material donat- tured in "On-Air" Magazine, indicated The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes ed by the family of Bill Rabe. Bill, as "I didn't really want to play Sherlock Collections Newsletter is proud to fea- you'll read was a unique and interest- Holmes again ... I did that 20 years ago ture these recent donations to the ing man as well as devoted (on Broadway in "Crucifer of Blood)". Sherlock Holmes Collections. w Sherlockian. Thanks to Peter Blau for Leonard's script convinced him to take sharing his thoughts on Bill Rabe. the role, teaming him once again with Thanks also to John Rabe and the Tom Lacy The San Diego Union- entire Rabe family for entrusting this Tribune, Arts Critic Anne Marie Welsh material to the Sherlock Holmes described the play as a clever, solidly Collections. constructed production "somewhere between farce and a witty comedy of Another donation was made to the detective manners." Due to its populari- Collection from the Old Globe Theatre ty, the run of the play was extended in San Diego. Material from their through November 8, 1997. The Old recent performance of Hugh Leonard's Globe donated copies of the playbill, 2 "Mask of Moriarty" is now archived here. This donation was arranged by script, numerous photographs, includ- !- ing an autographed photo of Whitehead ; Julie McKuras, newly elected President and Lacy, several slides, and copies of F of the Norwegian Explorers, and her a all pertinent newspaper and magazine o sister Jill Fritz, a Director at KPBS radio in San Diego. clippings. % "These Days" with host Dan Erwine fea- $ Compliments of the season! w tured an interview and call-in segment $ u Bruce E. Southworth, B.S.I. with guests Paxton Whitehead and Tom 2 Editor Lacy on October 1, 1997. Dan Erwine, in a note submitted for our newsletter, Tom Lacy and Paxton Whitehead

Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections P 4 Rabe material continuedfrom page 3

contributed mostly by Rabe, dramatiz- ing an important lesson: life is long and hard, but if we avoid talung our- selves too seriously, then perhaps we can be survivors. Much Holmesiana appeared in The Woods-Runner, along with articles reflecting another of his interests, Livie Borden of Fall River, MA. He and Peter not only created The From the archives of the Woods-Runner, but the Unicorn Hunters, the yearly Shakespeare's Norwegian Explorers Birthday celebration, the Snowman On April 11, 1947 the inaugural meet- Burning ceremony, and many others. ing of a new scion society of the Baker Rabe also created the annual Stone- Street Irregulars took place. On the Slupping Contest that is held on next day E. W "Mac" McDiarmid, title Gasogene and he reported Windermere Point. Charles Kuralt cov- University Librarian of the University of enthusiastically, "The Explorers confi- ered that event for an episode of his Minnesota, wrote to Edgar W Smith, dently expect to announce discoveries program On the Road. When testing his thceditor of the Baker Street Journal which will shed great light on a certain undocumented period of the master's own stone-skipping technique, Kuralt and the head of the Irregulars. Mac life." achieved only a few hops. Kuralt said wrote that several names had been dis- to Rabe, "That was pretty bad, wasn't cussed but he "was asked to list several The first general meeting of the it?" and Rabe replied "No, it's not bad of our suggestions and inquire from Norwegian Explorers took place in for a beginner." When Kuralt pressed you as to whether or not any of them January 1948 with Mac newly chris- him to be honest, Rabe said, "All right, had already been pre-empted. Roughly, tened as Sigerson. It is from this year it's pretty bad." According to Peter in order of preference, they are: the Explorers mark their 50th anniver- Thomas, "That [was] Rabe for all the The Coptic Patriarchs sary with a celebratory conference in world; he was raised to be courteous, The Nonpareil club August 1998, at which E. W "Mac" but if he couldn't be courteous, he was The Wisteria Lodgers McDiarmid will still reign as Sigerson. w always honest." Whimsical and witty The Priory Scholars Mrs. Hudson's Boarders to the end, Bill wrote his own epitaph. It is there on his gravestone in the Smith answered five days later, "delight- Catholic Cemetery on Maclunac ed to learn of the organization of a Island: "Life is a grave matter." Minneapolis Scion of the B.S.I." Smith was also encouraged by the potential And finally, there is another mystery new subscribers to the Baker Street among the shelves of the Collections. Journal noting, "the JOURNAL still The first donation to the University of struggling with deficit, can use them!" Minnesota from Bill Rabe was present- ed before his death. In boxes sealed Unfortunately, a gap exists in the archives at this point for the next letter, The Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections until the year 2000, is his work about is a quarterly newsletter published by the the infamous Aunt Clara. The record- dated July 15, 1947, has Smith con- Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections ings and documentation of the devel- gratulating Mac on the organization of which seek to promote the activities, inter- The Norwegian Explorers and assuring ests and needs of the Special Collections opment of the song are alleged to be in and Rare Books Department, University of the box. Will the world of the year him a report of it would appear in the Minnesota Libraries. October 1947 Baker Street Journal. "It 2000 be ready when we are allowed to Mail editorial correspondence c/o: verify this? The conclusion of the mys- is a noble undertaking, and readers will want to hear more of this new tery will be announced in a subse- Bruce E. Southworth, B.S.I. scion..." wrote Smith. 1621 Lafond Ave quent issue of this newsletter. r St. Paul, MN 55104-2212 It is interesting to note that Smith sug- 612-645-8131 (voice/Fax) gested a new choice of title for the [email protected] head of the Explorers: "Have you ever Editorial Board given consideration to talung unto Julie McKuras, Dr. Richard Sveum yourself the title of Sigerson, in place of the now-rather-commonplace Gasogene?" However, as reported in the Journal (vol. 2, # 4, 0s) Mac

Friends of the Shedock Holmes Collections P 5 A Word from our President Mark your Calendars +: , The 1998 membership meeting of his past year it has been my Any person or group wishing to the Friends of the Sherlock Holmes privilege to serve as President support the purpose of the organi- Collections will occur in conjunction of The Friends of the Sherlock zation, upon making an annual with the 50th Anniversary of the Holmes Collections. This contribution for the current fiscal Norwegian Explorers, to be held newsletter was started after the year, shall be a member. Au';ust 7, 8, and 9, 1998 in Collections Advisory Committee sug- Minneapolis, MN. gested our first priority should be to It is just that easy; make a contribu- improve communications and capture tion, be a member, receive the the spirit of John Bennett Shaw. I am Newsletter! All current members will receive an appeal on the anniversary of Sherlock Holmes Collections pleased by the response of many read- 466 Wilson Library ers to the mysteries of the collection their last donation. I hope you will all 309 19th Avenue South and donations of money and material. respond with a generous donation. A Minneapolis, MN 55455 The Friends exist to raise money to special membership meeting of the Telephone: 612-624-7526 help support the University of Friends of the Sherlock Holmes FAX: 612-626-9353 Minnesota in its' mission to collect, Collections will occur in conjunction . [email protected] with the 50th Anniversary of the : Mon-Fri 9-5 preserve and interpret Sherlockiana. C.:. - Norwegian Explorers, August 7-9, C&Urness, Actlng Curator The by-laws of the Friends in Article I1 1998 in Minneapolis. v Q@$ohnson, Acting Assstant Curator Membership, Section A Qualifications Jamle E Hubbs, Collection Specialist states: Richard]. Sveum, M.D. SveumOO [email protected]

6 P Friends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections

Sherlock Holmes Collections Non-Profit Org. P 466 Wilson Library U.S. Postage 309 19th Avenue South PAID University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis, MN 55455 Permit No. 155

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